I'll be waiting
by N Harmonic
Summary: He failed. Shunsui had failed at his most cherished promise. He said he'd always protect his love, heart, and soul, Jushiro Ukitake, and yet here he was; in the hospital. Read a moment of love between Jushiro and Shunsui! Plz R&R
1. I'll be waiting

"**I'll be waiting…"**

He failed. Shunsui had failed at his most cherished promise. He said he'd always protect his love, heart, and soul, Jushiro Ukitake, and yet here he was; in the hospital, a tube breathing for him in his chest. He was dying.

It had happened three days ago; Jushiro and he had gone to one of the many districts to patrol for an arrancar sighting. Instead of an arrancar, they found and went against a large scorpion hollow. Neither of them had been stung by its large tail though Jushiro had to par with it before cutting it off.

Neither of them had a mark, even Unohana-taicho had said that they were fine. Yet, that morning, three days later, during a captain's meeting, Jushiro had an episode; coughing up purple, almost black, blood and fleshy chunks that turned out to be his left lung. When he was rushed to the 4th squad barracks, Unohana had put a tube in his chest to help his mangled lung breath; it was soon later that Unohana learned that Jushiro had been poisoned through his zanpakuto Kotowari. Now Shunsui was waiting for his lover to do something, anything; trying his hardest to be strong and not cry for what was going to happen to him.

"Shun… kun…" Jushiro whispered and Shunsui instantly looked up and at his face. "You can cry; I know I'm dying."

Shunsui jerked at Jushiro's words and a small tear fell down his cheek; the lazy man stood and gripped his love's hand and kissed his brow. "Don't talk like that," he whispered; practically begging, not wanting to think of it.

Jushiro complied though he knew it was true. "Promise me something…" he whispered and Shunsui instantly looked at him seriously.

"Anything," Shunsui replied.

"Live," Jushiro whispered. "Don't kill yourself over me."

Shunsui's eyes widened a fraction. _'How…?'_

Jushiro smiled slightly since he could chuckle at his husband's expression. "I've known you for over 800 years, 600 of that was spent together with you telling me every night that no one could take my place," he said quietly.

"And no one can!" Shunsui instantly argued and stood. "I can't live without my other half; I'd be dead already… I'm dying now."

"But if you die, how will I live?" Jushiro almost demanded; followed by small coughs.

Shunsui looked at Jushiro in surprise pass his tears as he slowly sat down. "What?" he whispered.

Now Jushiro was crying slightly. "Everyone knows me but shinigami to come wouldn't have a clue of me and you; who better to spread my memory then my heart and soul?" he asked. "Live Shunsui; live and tell all of what had happened in our 800 years together. Please, promise me."

Shunsui got over his shock before wiping his tears away. "I… I will," he said as he wiped away Jushiro's tears; the man was currently smiling in relief.

Jushiro almost frowned when he felt his heart falter in one of its beats; he still smiled though to keep Shunsui calm. _'I don't… have much time… Just once more Shun-kun.'_

"Shunsui," Jushiro said quietly and Shunsui looked at him in question. "Kiss me."

"But…" Shunsui lightly argued.

"Please," Jushiro begged; another heart murmur went through his chest. "I want another happy moment between us."

Shunsui hesitated before leaning over and pressing his lips against the lover's. Jushiro instantly pushed back as much as he could, which wasn't much, and opened his mouth, beckoning Shunsui in; Shunsui, of course, complied, ignoring the familiar taste of coppery blood that sometimes lingered. Jushiro moaned slightly into the kiss when suddenly another heartbeat faltered in his chest; Jushiro's lips turned into a smile as his chest began to slight hurt him but he didn't mind, he was in peace. Jushiro opened his eyes to see Shunsui's closed eyes; seeing bliss, happiness, and love in them.

Jushiro closed his eyes again as the pain dulled and his heart slowed. _'Thank you for being there when no one even thought of me Shunsui. I love you.'_

Jushiro welcomed what came next; he was at peace.

Shunsui slowly pulled away with wide eyes when he felt Jushiro's lips stopped moving. Tears came to Shunsui's eyes when he saw Jushiro's peaceful and loving expression. Just as Jushiro's chest stopped moving, the heart monitor flat lined; on the other side of the door, all the captains and lieutenants began to mourn, painfully staying still because they knew they couldn't help.

"Shiro? Shiro?" Shunsui demanded; panic took his over common sense and he began to shake Jushiro's shoulder, blinded by tears. "Wake up Jushiro!"

Suddenly Shunsui was pulled back by Kenpachi who held him away as Unohana turned off the heart monitor and disconnected the respiratory tube. Once she was finished, Kenpachi released Shunsui to hold Yachiru who was crying about her Big Shiro-chan. Shunsui felt like he couldn't breathe as he walked over to Jushiro's chilling body and stared at hi8m; he was really gone.

"JUSHIRO!"

Everyone heard the pain in the cry.


	2. Alternate Ending

**Extended version**

He failed. Shunsui had failed at his most cherished promise. He said he'd always protect his love, heart, and soul, Jushiro Ukitake, and yet here he was; in the hospital, a tube breathing for him in his chest. He was dying.

It had happened three days ago; Jushiro and he had gone to one of the many districts to patrol for an arrancar sighting. Instead of an Arrancar, they found and went against a large scorpion hollow. Neither of them had been stung by its large tail though Jushiro had to par with it before cutting it off.

Neither of them had a mark, even Unohana-taicho had said that they were fine. Yet, that morning, three days later, during a captain's meeting, Jushiro had an episode; coughing up purple, almost black, blood and fleshy chunks that turned out to be his left lung. When he was rushed to the 4th squad barracks, Unohana had put a tube in his chest to help his mangled lung breath; it was soon later that Unohana learned that Jushiro had been poisoned through his zanpakuto Kotowari. Now Shunsui was waiting for his lover to do something, anything; trying his hardest to be strong and not cry for what was going to happen to him.

"Shun… kun…" Jushiro whispered and Shunsui instantly looked up and at his face. "You can cry; I know I'm dying."

Shunsui jerked at Jushiro's words and a small tear fell down his cheek; the lazy man stood and gripped his love's hand and kissed his brow. "Don't talk like that," he whispered; practically begging, not wanting to think of it.

Jushiro complied though he knew it was true. "Promise me something…" he whispered and Shunsui instantly looked at him seriously.

"Anything," Shunsui replied.

"Live," Jushiro whispered. "Don't kill yourself over me."

Shunsui's eyes widened a fraction. _'How…?'_

Jushiro smiled slightly since he could chuckle at his husband's expression. "I've known you for over 800 years, 600 of that was spent together with you telling me every night that no one could take my place," he said quietly.

"And no one can!" Shunsui instantly argued and stood. "I can't live without my other half; I'd be dead already… I'm dying now."

"But if you die, how will I live?" Jushiro almost demanded; followed by small coughs.

Shunsui looked at Jushiro in surprise pass his tears as he slowly sat down. "What?" he whispered.

Now Jushiro was crying slightly. "Everyone knows me but shinigami to come wouldn't have a clue of me and you; who better to spread my memory then my heart and soul?" he asked. "Live Shunsui; live and tell all of what had happened in our 800 years together. Please, promise me."

Shunsui got over his shock before wiping his tears away. "I… I will," he said as he wiped away Jushiro's tears; the man was currently smiling in relief.

Jushiro almost frowned when he felt his heart falter in one of its beats; he still smiled though to keep Shunsui calm. _'I don't… have much time… Just once more Shun-kun.'_

"Shunsui," Jushiro said quietly and Shunsui looked at him in question. "Kiss me."

"But…" Shunsui lightly argued.

"Please," Jushiro begged; another heart murmur went through his chest. "I want another happy moment between us."

Shunsui hesitated before leaning over and pressing his lips against the lover's. Jushiro instantly pushed back as much as he could, which wasn't much, and opened his mouth, beckoning Shunsui in; Shunsui, of course, complied, ignoring the familiar taste of coppery blood that sometimes lingered. Jushiro moaned slightly into the kiss when suddenly another heartbeat faltered in his chest; Jushiro's lips turned into a smile as his chest began to slight hurt him but he didn't mind, he was in peace. Jushiro opened his eyes to see Shunsui's closed eyes; seeing bliss, happiness, and love in them.

Jushiro closed his eyes again as the pain dulled and his heart slowed. _'Thank you for being there when no one even thought of me Shunsui. I love you.'_

Jushiro welcomed what came next; he was at peace.

Shunsui slowly pulled away with wide eyes when he felt Jushiro's lips stopped moving. Tears came to Shunsui's eyes when he saw Jushiro's peaceful and loving expression. Just as Jushiro's chest stopped moving, the heart monitor flat lined; on the other side of the door, all the captains and lieutenants began to mourn, painfully staying still because they knew they couldn't help.

"Shiro? Shiro?" Shunsui demanded; panic took his over common sense and he began to shake Jushiro's shoulder, blinded by tears. "Wake up Jushiro!"

Suddenly Shunsui was pulled back by Kenpachi who held him away as Unohana turned off the heart monitor and disconnected the respiratory tube. Once she was finished, Kenpachi released Shunsui to hold Yachiru who was crying about her Big Shiro-chan. Shunsui felt like he couldn't breathe as he walked over to Jushiro's chilling body and stared at him; he was really gone.

"Shiro," he whispered and fell to his knees before grabbing Jushiro's hand.

Shunsui held Jushiro's hand to his forehead as he cried for his last love; he was alone now. Shunsui jumped in shock when he felt something on his shoulder; he looked to see Nanao's crying head on him. Nanao looked at him and gave him a teary smile.

"I'm here Shunsui-taicho," she said before leaning on him again.

"As am I," Shunsui looked to Byakuya; surprised to see the man was also sad, showing in his eyes and frown.

"We're all here," Unohana said with a smile and when Shunsui looked around, he saw everyone was smiling at him.

Shunsui gave a small smile, maybe he could be this. _'Wait for when it's my time where ever you are… Jushiro Ukitake.'_


End file.
